A 240-unit, mixed-use development in Milton is close to putting shovels in the ground after the Milton Planning and Zoning Commission gave final site-plan approval to the Cypress Grove project.

Preston Schell, co-founder of developer Milton Attainable Housing LLC, said the project is still on track to begin construction in the first quarter of this year. 

Prior to construction beginning, Schell and engineer Zach Crouch will go before Milton Town Council Monday, Jan. 10, to request a waiver from town curbing requirements. 

Town code requires curbing for new construction, but Crouch has requested three waivers, which he said are needed because of drainage issues that would result if new curbs were put in. 

The Cypress Grove property is located between Route 16, Country Road and Bay Road. The rear of the property runs to Bay Road, which is envisioned as one of the means of entrance to the development. 

In a letter to council, Crouch said Milton Attainable Housing has agreed to widen Bay Road from 18-20 feet wide to 22 feet wide. Also planned is using dedicated right-of-way to build a sidewalk along Bay Road and install a swale to drain the road. Drainage from the roadway would be connected to Cypress Grove’s stormwater management system. If curbing were to be installed, it would stop water from draining into the swale. 

The development will consist of 14 apartment-style buildings with 12 to 24 units in each building, as well as five acres of commercial space fronting Route 16, two dog runs, a walking path, electric vehicle charging stations, and entrances on both Route 16 and Bay Road. The 26-acre parcel was annexed into Milton in December 2020. 

Milton Planning and Zoning Commission unanimously approved final site plans for the project Dec. 21, with the conditions that the electric charging stations be shown on the plans and that Milton Attainable Housing gets its waiver from council. 

Schell said, “Milton has been great to work with on this project and I don’t foresee that changing. We are both trying to dot our i’s and cross our t’s in how this project is permitted.”